Cal Fire adding firefighters to San Bernardino mountains to deal with threat of fire

Amid drought conditions and a bark beetle epidemic in 2002 and 2004, Cal Fire sent extra firefighters to work in the San Bernardino mountains in anticipation of fire season.

The conditions aren't as dire this year as they were then, but Cal Fire isn't taking any chances.

"We had less rain than we've had in the last year or two," said Cal Fire spokesman Bill Peters. "That does increase the fire potential."

About 10 firefighters will be moved from stations in Phelan and Yucaipa to Cal Fire stations in Crestline and Running Springs by July 2. Their home stations - each normally staffed with personnel on two fire engines - will be staffed with one each for the season.

The shift in personnel will shorten response times to fires in the San Bernardino National Forest, and give firefighters a chance to focus on talking to residents about fire safety.

Firefighters, along with personnel from the U.S. Forest Service, plan to conduct property inspections in the mountains, making sure residents have cut back enough vegetation from their homes and have taken other fire safety measures.

Cal Fire also plans to hold community fire safety events, similar to an emergency preparedness fair held in Lake Arrowhead earlier this month.

Richard Minnich, fire ecology expert and professor at University of California Riverside, said the fire danger at lower elevations and areas burned in the Old and Grand Prix fires isn't as high as it is in other areas this year.

"Believe it or not, the fire hazard is minimal in all of that and will be so for another couple of decades," he said.

But other communities are a concern for fire hazards. He pointed to areas such as Crestline, a town that hasn't had a major fire since 1905, or Lake Gregory in 1919. Areas of the eastern San Bernardino Mountains also have 100 years of accumulated vegetation.

Densely growing plants extracting too much water out of the soil can contribute to explosive fire conditions.

"It's the age of the vegetation that drives it all," he said.

The U.S. Forest Service plans to issue the following fire restrictions Friday in anticipation of fire season:

Wood and charcoal fires are permitted only in developed campgrounds and picnic grounds and within agency provided fire rings or camp stoves.